FROM "YACHTING NEWS"

Dolphin Crushes Woman in Freak Accident

A woman was crushed and seriously injured by a dolphin in an accident described by a marine biologist as "three million to one".

Pauanui Coastguard jet rescue member Steve Taylor said the 27-year-old was sitting on the bow of a 5.5m runabout "just cruising among some dolphins" in Australia.

One of the bottlenose dolphins became "over- excited" and jumped on to the boat, Mr Taylor said. The dolphin is believed to have landed on top of her, knocking her unconscious and inflicting serious head injuries. It smashed a windscreen 3m up on the boat and plunged back into the sea apparently unhurt.

The woman was unconscious when the rescue helicopter arrived at the island. She had a cardiac arrest before being flown to hospital, and did not fully regain consciousness during the flight.

Its advanced paramedic, Chris Deacon, said the crew had never been to such a job. "That would have to pretty well be the first time a dolphin's hit a human. I've never heard of it before."

The incident has mystified Otago University marine mammal biologist Liz Slooten, who said it was extremely unusual."The number of dolphins that injure, let alone kill, a human would be one in 100 years."

Barbara Needham, whose family has owned Slipper Island since 1971 and operates a resort there, said dolphins visited the area all year round. The pod involved in the incident had been there a week and people had been swimming and boating out to see them.

"They've just been fantastic, doing aerial displays and everything," Ms Needham said.

The dolphins in the pod were about 3m long. Mr McGlone said the damage to the boat was bad. "It looked like an 80kg dolphin going through the windscreen of your car."